Article carrier



May 13, 1969 E. L... ARNESON ARTICLE CARRIER Sheet Filed Aug. 15, 1967 I INVENTOR L. ARNESON 29- j y 4 ATT'YS.

May 13, 1969 E. ARNESON ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Aug. 15, 1967 INVENTOR EDWIN L. ARNESON A TT' YS United States Patent 3,443,723 ARTICLE CARRIER Edwin L. Arneson, Hackensack, N.J., assignor to Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., Bogota, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 660,830 Int. Cl. B65d 75/00 US. Cl. 220-113 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cellular bottle carrier formed from a single sheet of cut and scored paperboard or similar sheet material which is characterized by a multi-ply rigid suspending and longitudinal partition member sub-dividing its interior into two halves and by sets of cross-partition elements for each half with the center cross-partition element being excised from a panel forming a ply of the longitudinal partition member and being hinged at the free end thereof to a side wall and the remaining cross-partition elements of each set thereof being cut from the upper corners of the side wall and integrally hinged to the longitudinal partition member, thereby enabling the carrier to be produced with sufiicient cells for eight bottles.

This invention relates to article carriers which are adapted to be fabricated from flexible paperboard or similar sheet material and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a carrier of the type which is commonly used in the packaging display and transportation of bottled beverages or the like.

Cellular article carriers, formed of paperboard or similar material, have long been employed in the marketing of products such as bottled beverages and numerous designs have been developed, generally providing sufiicient cells to accommodate six beverage bottles. More recently there has been a demand for a carrier having a large number of cells so as to accommodate a larger number of bottles. On such carrier which has been successfully employed is disclosed in my patent, No. 3,062,404 dated Nov. 6, 1962. This carrier is characterized by a multi-ply rigid suspending and longitudinal partition member subdividing its interior into two halves which are further sub-divided by sets of cross-partition elements extending between the longitudinal partition member and the side walls and dividing the two halves into four cells each so as to adapt the carrier to eight bottle capacity. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrier of this type which results in an appreciable reduction in the amount of paperboard required while maintaining sufficient rigidity and strength for supporting the weight of the larger number of articles when filled and retaining all other desirable characteristics and advantages.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide an improved cellular article carrier which is characterized by a strong, stiif, central suspending panel member for supporting the weight of a relatively large package, which suspending member also serves as a longitudinal partition separating rows of articles positioned on opposite sides thereof and a plurality of cross-partition members extending between the suspending member and the side walls with certain of the cross-partition members being in the form of straps cut from the upper corners of the side walls and other cross-partition members being excised from panels forming plies of the central suspending member whereby the carrier, when set up, is adapted to receive a number of articles in excess of six.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottle carrier characterized by a multi-ply rigid suspending 3,443,723 Patented May 13, 1969 and longitudinal partition member subdividing its interior into two halves and by sets of cross-partition elements for each half with one element of each set being arranged in integrally connected relation with and being cut from a panel forming a ply of the longitudinal partition member and being hinged at the free end thereof to a side wall, and the remaining cross-partition elements of each set thereof being cut from the upper corners of the side walls and integrally hinged to the longitudinal partition member, thereby enabling the carrier to be produced from a minimum size blank and with sufficient cells to carry eight bottles.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the bottle carrier which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of an article carrier in set up empty condition which has incorporated therein the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the inside face of the prepared blank from which the carrier is formed, the view showing adhesive applied to certain areas of the blank preliminary to executing the first folding operation;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blank shown in FIG- URE 4 following certain folding and adhesive applying operations; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the completed carrier in flat, knocked-down condition.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated form of the carrier is fabricated from a general rectangular paperboard blank 10 which is cut and creased as shown in FIGURE 4. The blank is divided into a bottom wall forming section 11 and two substantially identical side wall partition and handle forming sections 12 and 13, with the latter two sections being symmetrical about the crease or score line 14 and forming mirror images of each other. Since the blank sections 12 and 13 are divided into the various fold forming panel elements by identical creasing and cutting lines, only one of these sections will be fully described, the same numerals primed being applied to the corresponding elements of the other section.

The side section 13 of the blank 10 is divided by transversely extending longitudinally spaced crease or score lines and longitudinal extending cutting lines into a side wall panel -15 which extends between the parallel transverse crease lines 16 and 17, end wall panels 20 and 21 at opposite ends of the side wall panel 15, which are separated from the latter by the parallel transverse crease lines 16 and 17, and longitudinal partition forming panels 22 and 23 which are separated from the adjoining end wall forming panels 20 and 21 by parallel transverse crease lines 24 and 25. The one longitudinal partition panel 23 has an extended inner marginal portion 26 at the top forming edge which is taken from the portion of the blank adjoining the longitudinal score line 14 and which is adapted to be trapped between panel elements of the handle structure when the carrier is set up. This panel also has a hook forming notch 27 at its outer or bottom forming edge. The other longitudinal partition panel 22 has an extended inner marginal portion 28 which is also taken from the portion of the blank adjoining the score line 14 and which is adapted to be trapped between panel elements of the handle structure when the carrier is set up. The longitudinal partition panel 22 has a hook forming notch 29 at its outer or bottom forming edge which, like the notch 27 in the longitudinal partition panel 23 at the other end of the blank, is adapted to receive the edge of the bottom wall as shown in FIGURE 2. The panel 22 has a cross-partition panel 30 excised therefrom by generally U-shaped cutting line 31, the legs of which extend longitudinally and terminate at the ends of a hinge forming transverse line 32. A glue flap 33 is formed on the free end of the panel 30 by the transverse score line 34 which is parallel with the score line 32. The cross-partition panel 30 and its glue flap 33 are freed from the longitudinal partition panel 23 by the longitudinally extending cutting line 31 so that they may hinge about the transverse score line 32. The maximum dimension of the longitudinal partition panel 22, in the longitudinal direction of the blank, is less than the corresponding dimension of the side wall panel 15 while the dimension thereof between the parallel transverse score lines 24 and 32 is approximately one-half the dimension of the side wall 15 in the corresponding direction or twice the di mension in the same direction of the adjoining end wall panel 20.

A center divider and longitudinal partition and handle forming section 34 extends between the crease lines 24, 24 and a cutting line 35 at the other end of the blank which is in the portions 26 and 26' of the longitudinal partition panels 23 and 23. The partition and handle forming section 34 is symmetrical about the longitudinally extending crease line 14 and is divided thereby into two halves 36 and 36' which are mirror images of each other. The two handle halves 36 and 36' are hingedly connected to the longitudinal partition panels 22 and 22' by extended portions 37 and 37' of the crease lines 24 and 24 and are hinged to each other on the crease line 14. The handle forming section 34 is freed from the end wall forming panels 20, 20 and 21, 21 by the diagonal cutting lines 38, 38' and 40, 40. The intermediate portions of the panel members 36 and 36' are freed from the side wall panels 15 and 15' by parallel longitudinal cutting lines 41 and 41 which extend between inner hinge forming sections 42, 42' and 43, 43' of the crease lines 16, 16 and 17, 17 respectively. The crease line sections 42, 42' and 43, 43' form inner hinges for relatively narrow cross-partition forming straps 44, 44' and 45, 45' which are cut from the corners of the side wall panels 15 and '15 on the longitudinal extending cutting lines 46, 46 and 47, 47', the latter terminating short of the center of the panel and extending parallel with the end portions of the longitudinal cutting lines 41 and 41'. Transversely extending crease lines 48, 48 and 50, 50 extend transyersely of the blank between the spaced inner ends of the cutting lines 46, 46' and 47, 47 and the cutting lines 41 and 41 to form the outer hinges of the cross-partition straps 44, 44' and 45, 45, which straps extend in the set up position of the carrier between the side walls 15, 15' and the handle and longitudinal partition structure.

The handle and longitudinal partition forming section 34 of the blank is divided by a transversely extending crease line 51, 51, which is aligned with the crease lines 50 and 50', into outer and inner handle forming panels 52, 52' and 53, 53' having hand holes 54, 54' and 55, 55' cut out as indicated with the former having locking flaps 56 and 56' hinged about longitudinally extending crease lines 57, 57'. The extensions 28, 28' on the partition panels 22 and 22' have hand holes 58 and 58' cut therein which are adapted to align with portions of the hand holes 54, 54 and the material is cut away at 59 and 59 along the crease line 14 to reduce the amount of material at the fold line and facilitate the folding of the inner handle panels within the outer handle panels.

The bottom wall forming panel section 11 is separated from the adjacent side wall panel by hinge forming score line 60 and sub-divided by a parallel outwardly spaced score line 61 into two substantially equal bottom wall panels 62 and 62'. At the other side of the blank 10 a glue flap 63 is provided which is separated from the adjoining side wall 15 by hinge forming score line 64,

The blank 10 when out and creased is glued and folded to provide the carrier which is illustrated in FIGURE 1. In setting up the carrier from the blank 10, adhesive is applied to the handle reinforcing panels 53, 53', to the inner portions 26, 26' and 28, 28' of the longitudinal partition panels 22, 22' and 23, 23', to the cross-partition glue flaps 33 and 33 and to the glue flap 63. The crosspartition panels 30 and 30' are first folded outwardly to the position shown in phantom line in FIGURE 4. The longitudinal partition panels 22 and 22 are then folded inwardly about the score lines 24 and 24'. The handle reinforcing panels 53 and 53' are next folded in about the score lines 51, 51' after which the longitudinal partition panels 23 and 23' with their adjoining end wall forming panels 21 and 21 are folded inwardly about the crease lines 17 and 17 so as to bring the blank into the condition shown in FIGURE 5. Adhesive is then applied to the exposed face of the longitudinal partition panels 22 and 23 and to the handle reinforcing panel 53 as shown in FIGURE 5 after which the bottom wall panels 62 and 62 are folded upon each other and the entire assembly is folded about the score line 14 so that the glue flap 60 overlies and is adhered to the outside margin of the outermost bottom wall panel 62'. This completes the gluing and folding of the blank and provides the collapsed carrier shown in FIGURE 6 which when opened up has the form shown in FIGURE 1.

While specific materials and particular details of construction are referred to in describing the illustrated form of the carrier, it is to be understood that other materials and different structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An article carrier formed from a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a pair of rectangular bottom panels foldably connected to each other along a central. fold line, side wall panels foldably connected to the side edges of the bottom panels, end wall panels foldably connected along vertical hinge lines to the end edges of the side wall panels, each of said end wall panels having a longitudinal center partition forming panel connected along a vertical hinge line to the inner edge thereof, said longitudinal partition panels having upper marginal portions extending above the top edge of the side wall panels and being connected in face-to-face, paired relation at each end of the carrier, a pair of handle forming sections spanning the space between and secured to said upper marginal portions of said longitudinal partition panels, said handle sections being foldably connected at one end thereof along vertical hinge lines to the upper marginal portions of an adjacent pair of said longitudinal partition panels, handle reinforcing panels connected along vertical hinge lines at the other ends of said handle sections and inwardly folded so as to extend between the latter, a pair of relatively narrow cross partition straps foldably connected to each of the side walls on parallel vertical hinge lines in the upper margins thereof which are spaced apart approximately twice the length of said straps, the cross partition straps of each pair thereof being foldably connected at their opposite ends along vertical hinge lines to a handle section and a handle reinforcing panel, respectively, and a pair of center cross partition panels integrally hinged to a pair of said longitudinal partition panels and having flaps at their outer ends connecting said center cross partition panels on vertical hinge lines to the side wall panels intermediate the hinge connections therewith of said cross partition straps, said cross partition panels each being cut from the associated longitudinal partition panel in an area extending from the hinged connection therewith toward the end of said longitudinal partition panel which is connected with the end wall panel.

2. An article carrier as set forth in claim 1, and said cross partition straps being cut from the upper corners of said side wall panels and integrally connected at their inner ends to the handle panels and the handle reinforcing panels, respectively.

3. An article carrier as set forth in claim 1, and said handle sections being integrally connected to each other on a top hinge line extending longitudinally of the carrier.

4. A carrier for a plurality of bottles comprising a bottom wall, upright side walls hinged to the side edges of the bottom wall, and walls connecting corresponding ends of the side Walls, a multiply rigid suspending and longitudinal partition member subdividing the carrier into two halves, a set of cross partition elements in each of said halves which are longitudinally spaced to divide the same into four bottle accommodating cells, each set of said cross partition elements including a panel element which is integrally connected at one end thereof to a panel forming a ply of said longitudinal partition member on a vertical hinge line spaced equal distances from the end walls, said longitudinal partition panel ply being integrally hinged to one end wall and said panel element being cut from a portion of said panel ply which extends between said vertical hinge line and the end wall to which said panel ply is hinged and having an integrally hinged glue flap at the end opposite said vertical hinge line which is secured to the side wall at the center thereof, and a pair of strap-like elements which are cut from the upper corners at opposite ends of the side wall and integrally hinged to said side wall on vertical hinge lines spaced equal distances from the adjacent end wall and from the hinged connections of said panel element with said side wall and the longitudinal partition member whereby to provide the carrier with sufiicient cells to accommodate eight bottles.

5. A one piece article carrier forming blank which is cut and creased to divide the same into a bottom wall forming section, side wall forming panels, an end wall forming panel hingedly connected to each end of each of said side wall panels, a center partition forming panel hingedly connected to each of said end wall panels, one of said side wall forming panels being connected on a hinge forming crease line to a side of the bottom wall forming section each of the center partition forming panels at one end of the side wall panels having a cross partition panel cut therefrom so as to extend from a crease line spaced inwardly of the free edge thereof in the direction of the associated side wall panel and handle forming panels divided into two portions each of which is hingedly connected at one end thereof to inner edge extensions of adjacent center partition panels and each said handle forming panel portion having a handle reinforcing panel hinged to the edge thereof which is opposite its hinged connection with the respective center partition panel, said handle forming panel portions and handle reinforcing panels being connected to the side wall panels by cross partition forming straps which are hingedly connected thereto at one end, and said center partition forming panels having portions located relative to the hinged connection of the cross partition straps with the handle forming panel portions so that when said center partition forming panels are folded into partially overlying relation with the adjacent side wall forming panel said portions will overlie the portion of said handle panel adjoining the hinge connection therewith of the associated cross partition forming strap so as to reinforce the same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,062,404 11/1962 Arneson 220-113 DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

222 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, m3,723 Dated M y 13, 1969 Inventofls) Edwin On It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 39, "large" should be larger Column 5, line 8, "and" should be end SIGNED AND SEALED JuN161970 (SEAL) Attest:

Edward H- Fletcher. It.

mm: 3. sum. JR- mtmg 0mm comissionar of Patents 

